Installing Dome Cameras Indoors Guide

Published Jul 16, 2018 12:50 PM

IPVM is producing the definitive series on installing surveillance cameras. This entry covers one of the most common scenarios - installing dome cameras indoors and is the second entry following Installing Box Cameras Indoors Guide

Inside we teach how to install, including:

  • What installation materials to choose from
  • Single vs Double Gang Low Voltage Brackets
  • Octagon Box and Octagon Extension Rings
  • Octagon Box With Hanger
  • Toggle Bolts
  • Furring Strips and Wood Screws
  • Drop Ceiling Installation How-To
  • Recessed Ceiling Installation How-To
  • Drywall Wall Installation How-To
  • Which Installer Skills Are Needed
  • Tools Required

Installing Dome Cameras Indoors Guide~1

Plus, we provide 8 demonstration videos showing installation materials and methods for dome form factor cameras.

Steps To Installing Domes

Installing dome cameras have a few core steps:

  • Determine or verify which mount material / method should be used. e.g. Will the camera be ceiling or wall mount? Has the customer budgeted for recessed mounts?
  • Ensure that you have the tools and parts needed for the installation.
  • Prepare the mounting material e.g., install anchors or brackets, install recessed mounts, make penetration holes.
  • Mount the camera and, depending on the model, a backplate or backbox if included in the design.
  • Connect patch cable, aim the camera, adjust focus and install the bubble.

Installation Materials

The first step to a proper installation is selecting the appropriate materials. The following video provides an overview of several different fasteners, anchors, boxes, brackets, and other mounting material used when installing domes.

In many cases, the cabling attached to a dome is best recessed into the wall in order to protect it from tampering, vandalism, and general unsightliness. To secure the cable within the wall or within a junction box, a special retrofit bracket is fitted to the wall for securely anchoring a box to the surface of the wall.

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low voltage bracket

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octagon

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octagon hanger

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spring wing toggle bots

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wood 

Drop Ceiling ********

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Recessed ******* ********

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Drywall ************

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Install ***** ******

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Installers ****** ******

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Comments (6)
Avatar
Gert Molkens
Jul 18, 2018
IPVMU Certified

It always amazes me how different installation practices are among different countries.

 

i’ve never seen almost any of the above mentioned tools and installation aids being used except for furing strips and spring wing toggle bolts. 

Never seen low voltage brackets nor octagon spanners. Drywall recessed boxes are made in plastic over here and also round for easy drilling the right hole in the drywall

(2)
Avatar
John Scanlan
Jul 18, 2018
IPVM • IPVMU Certified

Thanks Gert. Aside from the furring strips and spring wing toggle bolts, what other installation materials and methods do you commonly use?

Avatar
Gert Molkens
Jul 18, 2018
IPVMU Certified

I haven’t seen the drywall mount8ng frames over here so mostly the camera is mounted directly onto the drywall using the same anchors as in your video. Allghough i prefer the me5al anchors instead of plastic ones, the plastic ones break to fast when screwing the in.

 

if i need more space behind the camera, we’ll use standard drywall boxes such as these

As you can see, compared to the metal octagonal ones that you show in the videos these are plastic. More imortan5ly, they’re round and so the whole is easier and faster to make than for an octagonal or rectangular one

 

instead of the lightweight furring strips we also use 20mm thick MDF above the ceiling tile. If you make it fit just in between the T shaped profiles then you can screw it to the T profiles if you lift the adjacent tiles. Disadvantage being that you can’t lift the tile with the camera anymore

(3)
DH
Denis Halabudenco
Apr 03, 2019

I think   it's not useful when you have to do maintance.

Avatar
John Dornik
Apr 03, 2019
Integrated Access Security • IPVMU Certified

for light cameras I will use the sheetrock drill in anchors, except not drill them in but attach them from the back side letting them compress the tile between the housing and the anchor. I also use them for ceiling mounted sensors (REX motions glassbreak's and PIR's. 

(1)
TT
Tan Tharp
Oct 07, 2020
IPVMU Certified

So far, I have not gotten the chance to use furing strips whilst installing interior cameras! We typically use mini-dome cameras and nearly all ceiling installations have either taken place in drop-ceiling and wood ceilings/drywall. We typically use toggle bolts and drywall/wood self tapping screws respectively.